The Young and the Old, The feared and the Fearless
by TalesOfTheLoneWriter
Summary: In the summer after Harry's third year, Remus is living at 12, Grimmauld place along with Sirius. However, when a wolfsbane potion sent by Snape mysteriously turns him into a four year old, and Snape is not the culprit, darker reasons for the de-aging are revealed. Who is after Remus, and who turned him into a four-year old? Having to move to a new home for safety, Sirius learns-


Summary: In the summer after Harry's third year, Remus is living at 12, Grimmauld place along with Sirius. However, when a wolfsbane potion sent by Snape mysteriously turns him into a four year old, and Snape is not the culprit, darker reasons for the de-aging are revealed. Who is after Remus, and who turned him into a four-year old? Having to move to a new home for safety, Sirius learns a lot about his old friend, including the night that Remus's life changed forever. Slightly AU.

* * *

_Remus was supossed living there for protection_, Sirius thought, looking at the the tiny brunette boy. _Now he's a bloody kid. _Sirius looked up as Snape towed into the office, along with Dumbledore behind him. Sirius glared at Snape, as he pulled Remus towards him. Dumbledore looked at the pair, before keeping his eyes on Remus.

"Does he remember you, Sirius?" Dumbledore asked, not taking his eyes off of him.

"Yes. Or, he barely does. He called me Padfoot, for sure, but I don't think he truly remembers me." Dumbledore nooded, motioning for Snape to take a look at the boy. Sirius stood up, taking Remus with him. He sat Remus on the desk, as Snape looked Remus over.

"Watch it. I don't want your slime all over Remus." Sirius hissed. Snape glared back.

"I'm sure you already have a layer of dirt on the boy. He probably has fleas, too." Snape retorted, checking Remus's eyes. After a minute of glaring and silence, Snape turned to the two.

"Healthy. It was a perfect potion. I do not know how it got switched, as much as I despise the two of you," Looking pointedly at Sirius and Remus, "but I would never poison someone. I would not waste expensive ingredients to just prank him. You can check my office, a pot of wolfsbane potion is still there."

Dumbledore nodded curtly. "Now, we are left with another problem, You and Remus's safety. If the package containing the wolfsbane potion was intercepted, then it is not safe for the two of you to go back to Grimmauld place. I will make living quarters for you two here for the summer, and if Remus is not back to his normal self at the end, then I will create a safe house fo you." Sirius nodded, picking up Remus and holding him close. This was a serious side to Dumbledore Sirius had not seen.

Remus, who had been silent throuhout the whole situation, looked to the man holding him. In the back of his mind, the real Remus was locked, silent also. He had reconized the man, remembering him as Padfoot, but had been unable to remember where he knew the man from, or how he knew him. He stayed close, not liking the man who had poked and prodded him, and had a curiosity for the beared man.

"Professor, do you have any idea who would do this? It was obviously meant for Remus, since it was the wolfsbane potion switched, but why?" Sirius asked.

"I do not know. However, I will have the order search Grimmauld for clues, and have them look into it. In the meantime, Severus, could you get the real wolfsbane potion, The full moon is in a few hours I would like it if our young charge would be more comfortable during it."

"Yes, Professor." With a swift turn, Snape walked out of the office.

"Sir, I mean no disrespect, but how do we know that Snape wasn't the one who did this? He hates us, he doesn't want to help us."

"Now, If I recall, it was you and James Potter who did the pranks. Remus here was a mere observer of your pranks on Severus. If Remus here had not loved his friends as much as he did, he most likely would have asked you to stop." Sirius blushed at the mention of his school years. He wasn't proud of how he treated Snape, but he did recall Remus not being comfortable during their pranks on Snape. Though he wasn't truly sorry for Snape, He did regret treating him that way.

"Sir, when you said that we would be moved to a safe house if Remus wasn't normal by the end of the summer, where you thinking that he might not be?" Dumbledore was oddly silent for a while, untill he answered.

"Potions like this are meant to last a long time. And they never return the drinker to the regular age after it wears off. Most last months, but if someone is after Remus, and wanting him to be this age, I can not tell you how long he might be like this. We can only be grateful it did not make him ill." Dumbledore said, his tone very grim.

"I will have a living area made for you two. All the teachers know of your innocence, and if my assumption is correct, they know of Remus's condition also." Sirius nodded, following Dumbledore out. He just couldn't shake the feeling that Dumbledore was keeping something from him.

* * *

Later that night, after he had Remus drink the wolfsbane, he had turned himself into a dog, watching as the were-puppy curiously walked around the room. The pup was extremely fond of the window, every few minutes he would attempt to jump out-only to whimper at hitting his head against the glass.

Sirius just sat, watching as the wolf pup get exhausted, and fall asleep on top of Sirius paws. Sirius, who just layed his head on top of Remus, and fell asleep too.

* * *

The next day started off odd. Remus seemed to not want to let go of Sirius. Sirius was amused, as the little boy seemed to be fond of him.

"Remus, do you know what magic is?' Sirius asked, crouching down to look at Remus.

Remus nodded, looking at Sirius's wand. "My daddy can do magic." Remus said softly, looking at Sirius. "He works with people and magic animals.'' Sirius nodded, he had expected a simple nod, Remus had not spoken since calling him Padfoot. "My daddy met a mean man once. He was scary." Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Who was the scary man, Remy?" Remus's eyes grew wide, and he stuck his thumb in his mouth, rubbing his arm with the other hand. Remus slightly pulled up his sleeve to show the bite marks from the night he was bitten.

Sirius gritted his teeth, angry at the world for letting a four-year old boy get bitten. "Well, Remy." He said, about to change the subject, "Why don't I show you something cool." Remus looked up, thumb still in his mouth, and nodded.

Sirius grinned, picking up the tiny boy and walked out the door.


End file.
